You are here

Western Fellowship of Professors and Scholars 2013 Conference

Since 2006, this annual event has promoted research, discussion, and academic fellowship on issues relating to the Christian faith. The upcoming conference, "The Early Christians and their Scriptures" will be October 4-5, 2013 and held on the MCC campus.

Saturday, October 5
8:00-9:15 a.m. Breakfast Panel
9:30-10:30 a.m. Second Keynote Session:The Early Christians Interpret their Scriptures: the Use of the OT in the New
10:45-11:45 a.m. Third Keynote Session:The Early Christians Develop their Scriptures: the Birth of the New Testament
12:00 p.m. Brown Bag Lunch

This year's theme is "From a People on the Way to the People of the Book: The Early Christian Movement and the Development of the New Testament." It is a broad theme and could include many topics on the life and faith of the early followers of Jesus as well as issues relating to the text and canon of the New Testament. As always, papers not directly related to the theme are also welcome.

Papers or other presentations from a variety of fields and perspectives are welcome: practical, exegetical, theological, historical, current issues, etc. Some of the questions we would like to see addressed are:

1. How did a Jewish movement become a Gentile church with its own religious practices and unique Scriptures?

2. How did the transition from oral tradition to written Scripture take place?

3. What is new in textual criticism?

4. Was there a transition from "the freedom of the Spirit" to the letter of the law--or did the collected writings of the New Testament preserve the possibility of freedom and following the leading of the Spirit?

5. How did existing family structures and the concept of the larger family of God influence each other?